Hi everyone, my name is Andrew and I live in Sarasota Fl. I want to start duck hunting in my area and lake okeechobee when the season comes back around. I don't have any decoys and i'm not sure what kind to get. Any tips you can give a new guy would be greatly appreciated.

Being that we are in Florida I would say a dozen blue wing and a dozen green wing teal as well as some coot decoys is a good place to start. Also, dont bother with any mallard calls, stick to the 3-in-1 whistles and perfect those. You dont have to go crazy on the decoys in terms of how much you pay IMO. Get a set of whatever is in your price range and go from there, I have any hunted 2 seasons but I have noticed that generally the ducks dont care what species is out there. Also, get a jerk string for your decoys and make sure your gun patterns well with the choke/load combo you choose. I will be moving to South Florida within the next few months and will be needing to learn the big lake so if you wanna work on some scouting when the season gets close feel free to PM me. I dont know a ton but I am getting there, plus I will be hunting with more experienced people so that will help. Get some books on bird ID and the art of decoying to help expand your knowledge, thats what I did and it helped.

It would be a good idea to add in a couple mallard hen decoys to double as mottled duck decoys. Shoveler and diver decoys are not a bad idea either.

Waders are a must! Also, a boat of some sort seemed to be a must have as well. Research the area you plan to hunt the most before you pick up a boat. Some places i hunted in FL had HP restrictions on motors, some only allowed electric motors, and some places would not allow any trailers of any kind and no motor.

Check out www.myfwc.com to locate your WMA's and get an idea of what you are getting into. Lots of info on the site.

Be safe and be prepared to spend a lot of $$$ in gear and gas for scouting! Waterfowling is by far the most expensive i have encountered for hunting...but to me the most enjoyable. Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback. Would just BW teal work as oppose to both together? Also are black duck decoys good at bringing in mottleds or are they to dark? Thanks for the invite troutman561 and i'm getting a DC whistle.

Welcome to the forum. As others have said, get teal, coots, and ringneck decoys to start. Familarize yourself with the bodies of water and scout as much as you can. Be courteous to other hunters, and have fun.

Welcome, try going to the ducks unlimited website and looking through all the hunting tips. They can tell you about everything from how to train a dog, to what clothes to wear, to how to set out your decoys. Also, start shooting some skeet, you would be surprised how quickly some of these ducks move.

2 year old field bred English Cocker Spanial16x56 Go devil Boat with 35 longtailWigeon with 7 horse Go devil

id say find someone to take you hunting before you start spending money on a bunch of gear. get a good shot gun and a jacket and get a buddy to show you the ropes. if you just go out there and wing it with all your cool brand new gear, having never hunted, people will most likely get aggrevated at you and you will probably get in their way.

duckhunter48 wrote:id say find someone to take you hunting before you start spending money on a bunch of gear. get a good shot gun and a jacket and get a buddy to show you the ropes. if you just go out there and wing it with all your cool brand new gear, having never hunted, people will most likely get aggrevated at you and you will probably get in their way.

learn the ropes and then take a crack at it on your own.

That is great advice IF you have someone that is willing to show you the ropes. Some people don't have that luxury and have to pay their dues until they learn the ropes. You're good to go as long as you give other hunters space, don't skybust, and don't act like a jackass. If you're a likable guy then it won't take long to find some people to hunt with in the future. It's amazing how many hunters you meet if you consistently talk about duck hunting 5-10 times a day, haha.

I had several people approach me at landings this year asking for. Two guys stand out in my mind. One was a guy who I would consistantly see when I was pulling my boat out. One day he came up to me and asked me a question. He was honest with me about being new and wanted advice. Me and him sat and talked for about an hour and I gave him tips, told him about that particular lake, and even gave him a few suggestions on where to go. If you just be honest and friendly, most hunters will be glad to give some advice. Just dont be like "where should i hunt im new." The other guy wasnt new, He was just friendly. I wsa out at the landing glassing on a tuesday and he was there. We sat on our tailgates and talked and watched ducks come in for 2 hours. So like I said, most hunters are friendly, they might be having a bad day though (duck hunting can be very stressful). Offer to help him with his boat or something.

2 year old field bred English Cocker Spanial16x56 Go devil Boat with 35 longtailWigeon with 7 horse Go devil

Some ringnecks wouldnt be a bad option as far as decoys go if your hunting in florida. And dont be afraid to paint some decoys to be what you want them too. I have about 2 dozen ringneck decoys and only 6 of them are originally ringnecks. the others are all old mallards and work just fine.

Also I hunt from a kayak, it takes a little more mork some morning but I really enjoy it, makes the ducks I kill that much more worth it and I dont have to worry about hiding a big john boat.

If you have any other questions just pm me. Ive only been doing this 2 years so if i can help i will, i know what its like to be completly overwhelmed with everything as a new duck hunter. I still am!